Lieutenant Commander George T. Coker received the Navy Cross for his extraordinary heroism during the war in Vietnam. He made an extremely daring escape from a solitary confinement cell while a Prisoner of War in Hanoi, North Vietnam on 12 October 1967. During a period of particularly harsh treatment, he and another prisoner executed an escape as a two-man team despite the high risk of brutal reprisal or possible loss of life. That night, after opening the cell door by removing door bolt brackets from inside the room he preceded over the wall and through several blocks of housing to the Domer Bridge. Walking under the bridge to the Red RiverÃs edge, he swam downstream all night and sunrise buried himself in a mudbank in an effort to remain concealed. He was later discovered, recaptured, severely beaten for many hours, and banished to solitary confinement for two and a half years. His extraordinary courage, aggressiveness in the face of the enemy, and dedication to his country reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Naval Service and the United States Armed Forces. Commander Coker, a naval aviator was flying an A-6 on 27 August 1966 when he was shot down over North Vietnam. He was repatriated on 4 March 1973.
Commander Coker joined the Legion of Valor in 1976. He resides in Virginia and is a LIFE MEMBER of the Legion of Valor.